The Traditional Ruler of Owelle, Anambra West LGA of Anambr state, Igwe Anthony Onyekwere, has appealed for President Mohammadu Buhari’s urgent intervention on the incessant crisis between farmers and herders in his Council and other riverine communities.
Onyekwere, in an interview with Blueprint, lamented that the entire Anambra North senatorial zone comprising Anambra East, Anambra West, Ogbaru, Ayamelum, with an exception of Onitsha north and Onitsha South Council Areas, have been in disputes with herders over myriads of issues including obstruction of traditional migration routes, damaging of crops, livestock theft, land and water use.
He added that fear of herdsmen menace have not only inflicted pains on people but even forced some especially farmers to abandon their farms and homes to saver Council aras, thereby predisposing the country to famine and food crisis if nothing was done to arrest the situation.
According to him, herders/farmers disputes ought to be a top priority of the federal government so as to put an end to wanton loss of lives and properties, rape, maiming and kidnapping usually associated to herders across the country.
The monarch, however, commended governor Willie Obiano for setting up a cattle menace committee whose responsibility was among other things to resolve any issue that could arise between herders and their host communities, and enjoined him to step up security in the rural areas, strengthen conflict resolution mechanism and as well address border crisis and others.
